That’s Italian!

The new:Tuscan Grill (19 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 226-2201), which opened in June, is the happy marriage of experience and good genes. Owner Tony Nomikos is a 40-plus-year veteran of the hospitality industry and his mother is from the Tuscany region. His son, George, is the chef.

Shrimp and veal dishes have gone over well, as have the pasta favorites. Even better: Most entrées are under $20. “We’re developing a heck of a local crowd,” says bartender Henry Dawson, who jokes that even an Italian eatery needs an Irish bartender.

The tried-and-true: Lisa DiFebo-Osias, who spent summers at her parents’ Bethany Beach house, one fall opted to stay at the beach instead of heading back to Wilmington. She opened DiFebo’s Café (789 Garfield Pkwy., Bethany Beach, 539-4550, difebos.com) in 1989, and the deli quickly became a full-fledged restaurant. Try the antipasti and anything with the red “gravy,” a family recipe.